Scottish Executive

Asylum Seekers

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it has given voluntary organisations regarding asylum seekers and refugees who volunteer their services to them, in particular on the reimbursement of any expenses which are incurred in delivering such services.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive has not issued any advice about this, as it is a reserved matter.

Asylum Seekers

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what grants under European Structural Funds and EU community initiatives such as EQUAL have been made available since 1999 to assist with the integration of asylum seekers and refugees into local labour markets.

Shona Robison (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what grants under European Structural Funds and EU community initiatives such as EQUAL have been made available since 1999 to assist asylum seekers and refugees to become integrated into the local labour market and enhance their economic and social contribution.

Peter Peacock: Refugees and asylum seekers with permission from the Home Office to work on either a temporary or a permanent basis are eligible to benefit from European Social Fund grants available since 2000 under the Highlands & Islands Special Transitional Programme, the Objective 2 Western Scotland Programme and the Scottish Objective 3 Programme, provided that the individuals meet the eligibility criteria set out for each programme.

  In particular, Objective 3 Priority 2 aims to address social exclusion and has one Measure worth 71 million euros over seven years specifically to assist excluded groups such as refugees and asylum seekers.

  The EQUAL Community Initiative, of which Scotland has been allocated about 33 million euros, will also tackle issues relating to those groups most disadvantaged in the labour market. It will be delivered in Scotland through seven Development Partnerships, which will be operational from November this year. An additional strand – to be administered across the UK by the Department for Education and Employment and worth 19 million euros – will be devoted to action to promote the social and vocational integration of asylum seekers.

Asylum Seekers

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures and systems it has put in place to facilitate integration of refugees and asylum seekers into local communities.

Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-15509 on 15 May 2001.

Breastfeeding

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what support and facilities it currently provides for its staff returning to work who are still breastfeeding.

Angus Mackay: The Scottish Executive provides dedicated accommodation in four offices in Edinburgh and two offices in Glasgow for women wanting to breastfeed or to express milk. The accommodation provided includes a nursing chair, fridge for storing milk and baby changing facilities.

  Facilities will be extended as office renovation is undertaken. Local arrangements are made to meet individual circumstances where no facility exists at present.

Drug Misuse

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many police investigations involving the use of predictive tests in (a) Scotland and (b) each police force area regarding alleged contravention of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1967 were carried out by the police in each year since 1997.

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions for each year since 1997 in (a) Scotland and (b) each police force area for the contravention of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1967 were preceded by predictive tests for the presence of drugs carried out by the police.

Mr Jim Wallace: The information is not held centrally.

Emergency Services

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of motor insurance was for (a) each police force, (b) each fire service, (c) the ambulance service and (d) the prison service in each year since 1997.

Mr Jim Wallace: The information requested for the fire and ambulance services is shown in the following table .  The figures for 2000-01 are provisional.

  


Fire Brigades 
  

1998-99 
  

1999-2000 
  

2000-01 
  


 

£000 
  



Central 
  

45 
  

68 
  

75 
  



Dumfries & Galloway 
  

14 
  

14 
  

14 
  



Fife 
  

19 
  

12 
  

16 
  



Grampian 
  

90 
  

103 
  

100 
  



Highlands & Islands 
  

56 
  

61 
  

63 
  



Lothian & Borders 
  

70 
  

77 
  

139 
  



Strathclyde 
  

200 
  

349 
  

360 
  



Tayside 
  

62 
  

73 
  

77 
  



Total 
  

556 
  

757 
  

844 
  



Ambulance Service 
  

347 
  

347 
  

380 
  



  The cost of motor vehicle insurance for police forces is not held centrally. The Scottish Prison Service has Crown Indemnity when using vehicles and is therefore exempt from the requirement to have motor vehicle insurance.

Environment

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current position is on the Scottish Natural Heritage investigation into the suspected colony of the protected species of Pipistrelle bat nesting in the disused railway tunnel at Thornwood Community Park in Glasgow and whether it will impact on the proposed development at the site.

Rhona Brankin: This is an operational matter for Scottish Natural Heritage and I have asked Professor Roger Crofts CBE, chief executive of SNH to reply. His response is as follows:

  Scottish Natural Heritage has formally consulted Glasgow City Council in relation to a planning application affecting this site. Access to the railway tunnel at Thornwood has been requested by SNH in order to determine the usage of the tunnel, if any, by bats. Until this study has been completed, no assessment can be made of the implications upon the proposed development.

Finance

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why the "Other items" category in Table 7, "other expenditure categories, 1998-99" of Government Expenditure and Revenue Report 1998-99 is 15.8% of the equivalent figure for the UK and whether it will provide a breakdown of each component of this category and the expenditure thereon.

Angus MacKay: The "Other Items" line in Table 7 of Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland 1998-99 is a subset of "Other Expenditure". "Other Expenditure" captures items included in National Accounts measures of expenditure which are not included as part of conventional expenditure on services by the public sector. The National Accounts adjustment figures are based on Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses, 2000-2001 , adjusted by the Treasury to accord with UK Total Managed Expenditure. The Scottish values under this header are Scottish Executive estimates, based on the UK values.

  Table 1 sets out expenditure on the categories that make up "Other items" in Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland 1998-99. It shows expenditure for both Scotland and England, and Scotland’s share of the UK expenditure.

  


Table 1: Other items, 1998-99 
  



 


Scotland
(£ billion) 
  

UK
(£ billion) 
  

Scotland/UK 
  



Net public service pensions 
  

0.6 
  

4.7 
  

12.0% 
  



Non-trading capital consumption 
  

1.2 
  

7.0 
  

16.9% 
  



VAT refunds 
  

0.4 
  

5.3 
  

8.3% 
  



EU contributions 
  

-0.5 
  

-6.0 
  

8.3% 
  



Income tax credits 
  

0.2 
  

2.0 
  

7.9% 
  



Financial transactions 
  

0.1 
  

-0.4 
  

-12.5% 
  



Other accounting adjustments 
  

-0.1 
  

-1.2 
  

8.3% 
  



Total 
  

1.8 
  

11.5 
  

15.8% 
  



  Sources: HM Treasury, Scottish Executive.

  Notes:

  Figures may not add up due to rounding.

  "Other Items" is estimated to sum to £1.8 billion for Scotland in 1998-99. The relevant value for the UK is £11.5 billion, with Scotland’s share of the UK total therefore 15.8%.

Finance

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the estimated Scottish share of UK income tax revenues in 1997-98 and 1998-99 according to government expenditure and revenue analysis reports and explain any variations in this share between the two years.

Angus MacKay: Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland 1998-99 contains in section 7 a detailed description of both Scotland’s share of UK income tax revenues and the comparison of 1997-98 and 1998-99 figures.

Finance

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the components are of the "Reconciliation" item in Table 8, "other expenditure categories, 1998-99" of Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland 1998-99 and whether it will give detailed comparison of expenditure on this item for those years for which figures are available.

Angus MacKay: An explanation of the estimated reconciliation item for Scotland is set out in Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland 1998-99 (second paragraph, page 28).

  More detail on the estimated reconciliation figure for Scotland is at Table 1. The table also includes the relevant UK values, provided by Treasury, from which the Scottish value is derived.

  


Table 1 
  

1994-95 
  

1995-96 
  

1996-97 
  

1997-98 
  

1998-99 
  



 


(£ million) 
  



UK Reconciliation (A) 
  

397 
  

324 
  

509 
  

-31 
  

-872 
  



Of which due to timing differences in UK Local Authority 
  expenditure data (B) 
  

- 
  

-7 
  

- 
  

-159 
  

-346 
  



UK Residual (C) 
  

397 
  

331 
  

509 
  

128 
  

-526 
  



Scotland share of UK reconciliation (D) 
  

40 
  

33 
  

51 
  

0.1 
  

70 
  



Of which: 
  

 


 


 


 


 




due to timing differences in Scottish Local Authority expenditure 
  data (E) 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

-13 
  

123 
  



Scotland share of UK residual1  (F) 
  

40 
  

33 
  

51 
  

13 
  

- 52 
  



  Source: HM Treasury (A,B,C,E), Scottish Executive estimates (D,F).

  Notes:

  1. Allocated on basis of Scotland’s share of UK identifiable and non-identifiable expenditure; figures may not add up due to rounding.

Food Safety

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had on the safety for human consumption of milk produced in areas infected with foot-and-mouth disease.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive discussed the concerns that the Food Standards Agency (FSA) had about the possibility of dioxins released from pyres being present in milk from some 60 dairy farms within 2 km of these pyres in the Infected Area. The FSA felt that it was necessary to issue information to these farmers about this slight risk if the farmers consumed their own milk exclusively. The FSA also made it clear that there was no risk to the public when milk from these farms was mixed with other milk.

  In addition to the discussions with the FSA the Scottish Executive also discussed these concerns with the Scottish Dairy Association and the National Farmers’ Union of Scotland.

Homelessness

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail (a) the number of temporary accommodation places and (b) the type of accommodation used for these places currently available to homeless households.

Jackie Baillie: The provision of appropriate temporary accommodation is a matter for local authorities. Assessing the need for such accommodation will form part of the development of local authority homelessness strategies. The type of temporary accommodation provided will depend on the assessment of need, including consideration of what is already available.

Homelessness

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional temporary accommodation places would be required following implementation of the Housing (Scotland) Bill and what type of accommodation this is likely to be.

Jackie Baillie: This will be a matter for local assessment as part of the development of homelessness strategies.

Homelessness

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many non-priority homeless people would become eligible for temporary accommodation under section 3 of the Housing (Scotland) Bill.

Jackie Baillie: Section 3 of the Housing Bill will give homeless or potentially homeless people not in priority need an enhanced package which ensures them advice and assistance and access to temporary accommodation while this advice and assistance is given. Take-up of the new enhanced package will depend on the circumstances of individual households and the extent to which its availability encourages those who have not previously made applications to local authorities under the homelessness legislation now to do so.

Homelessness

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what expenditure by local authorities would qualify for funding from the £27 million announced on 18 December 2000 by the Minister for Social Justice to help them meet their duties under the Housing (Scotland) Bill.

Jackie Baillie: The Executive has made available £27 million over three years (£3 million/£12 million/£12 million) to meet the additional costs of implementing the homelessness provisions of the Housing Bill. This will include costs associated with the development of strategies, advice and assistance and the provision of additional temporary accommodation.

Homelessness

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of the support needs of people eligible for temporary accommodation under section 3 of the Housing (Scotland) Bill and how these support needs would be met.

Jackie Baillie: Section 3 of the Housing (Scotland) Bill is concerned with the provision of temporary accommodation and advice and assistance. It is for local authorities, in consultation with other organisations as necessary, to consider the support needs of applicants. Homelessness strategies will set out how such needs are to be assessed and met.

Homelessness

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Housing (Scotland) Bill would require local authorities to develop a temporary accommodation strategy and, if so, what guidance it would issue on developing such a strategy.

Jackie Baillie: The Housing Bill will require local authorities to carry out assessments into the extent and nature of homelessness in their areas and to develop homelessness strategies. These strategies will include an assessment of accommodation requirements, and will indicate how the authority proposes to meet these requirements.

Justice

Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in the light of the recent incident in Portree Sheriff Court where CS gas was used to restore order, there will be a review of security needs in rural courts.

Mr Jim Wallace: Court security is a matter which is kept under constant review by the Scottish Court Service. The recent incident at Portree Sheriff Court is being examined to determine whether there are any implications for the security of both rural and urban courts.

Justice

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the victim awareness training for the judiciary referred to in its Scottish Strategy for Victims will start.

Mr Jim Wallace: Judicial training in Scotland is a matter for the independent Judicial Studies Committee. The committee are aware of the terms of the Executive’s policy and they are already planning to include victims’ issues in a programme of refresher courses for sheriffs which will begin in the New Year.

Planning

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, prior to submitting an objection to the planning application submitted on behalf of the United Reform Church, Crescent Road, Nairn, the trunk roads authority visited the premises.

Sarah Boyack: In common with all planning applications affecting a trunk road, the Scottish Executive is consulted and offers advice to the Planning Authority. In this case, the site was visited by the previous Management Agent, Mouchel Scotland Ltd and a report submitted to the Scottish Executive.

Planning

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will recommend that the trunk roads authority not submit objections to planning applications without having inspected the premises which are the subject of the application.

Sarah Boyack: The sites of all planning applications are visited to assist in determining whether the development would be likely to have a detrimental effect on trunk road traffic. It is not normal practice to inspect individual premises as sufficient information indicating the nature of the development should accompany the planning application.

Planning

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether planning law will be reviewed to ensure that before making a formal objection to an application which would result in the application being called in and a public local inquiry being held, it should be compulsory for the trunk roads authority to visit the premises concerned and consult with the applicants and, if not, whether there is a risk of unreasonable delay and prejudice in the treatment of applications.

Lewis Macdonald: No, the Scottish Executive has no plans to review planning legislation in this regard.

  The current contractual arrangements between the Road Network Management and Maintenance Division (RNMMD) and the Operating Companies managing the trunk road network on their behalf require the Operating Company to visit all planning application sites, take photographs and make a report to RNMMD to include accident statistics and all other relevant information. There is no requirement to consult with applicants, although RNMMD would, where appropriate, carry out such consultations themselves. Any subsequent objection by RNMMD does not necessarily lead to a case being called in, nor does a case being called in necessarily lead to a public local inquiry being held.

Prison Service

Mr John Home Robertson (East Lothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost was of special payments made to prison staff who did not take part in the recent unofficial industrial actions; what consultation was undertaken with representatives of Scottish Prison Service employees about these payments, and what the impact of these selective payments has been on the morale of prison staff.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, chief executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  The cost of payments made or being processed this month under the SPS Special Bonus Scheme, to staff who worked a full shift or more on the day of the unlawful strike on 23 April 2001, is some £67,000. The SPS Board took the decision to make these payments in recognition of the loyalty and exceptional performance of those of our staff who worked, mostly under conditions of greatly aggravated difficulty, on the day in question, protecting the public by maintaining basic good order and care in our prisons. Since the strike we have had an arbiter’s award on attendance patterns, and working together on its implementation will be a good vehicle for improving morale.

Rail Freight

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to promote use of the West Highland railway line and address any decline in the amount of freight being carried on the line.

Sarah Boyack: To encourage the movement of freight by rail, the Scottish Executive has committed £39 million over the next three years (2001-04) towards the Freight Facilities Grant and Track Access Grant schemes. The Executive will consider applications for grants under these schemes from industry throughout Scotland, including the Highlands. Applications are assessed against value for money and environmental benefits criteria.

Scottish Executive Expenditure

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of motor insurance was for the vehicles owned and operated by it or the Scottish Office in each year since 1997.

Angus MacKay: Vehicles owned by the Scottish Executive have Crown exemption. Consequently, the Executive meets the cost of liabilities arising from their use. For staff, personal injury cover is provided by the Principal Civil Service Pension scheme. The cost of supplementary commercial insurance cover for occupants of the vehicles was £525.00 for 2000-01 and £656.25 for 2001-02.

Teacher Training

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether those who complete the Open University Postgraduate Certificate in Education, which is recognised in England, are qualified to teach in Scotland and, if not, whether it will specify which elements of the qualification it does not recognise.

Mr Jack McConnell: Scotland does not currently participate in the Open University (OU) Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) programme. Institutions are able, however, to offer any course on a part-time basis provided it meets the requirements set out in the Guidelines for Initial Teacher Education in Scotland. No proposals have been received for such a course from the OU since 1992.

  Registration with the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) is a requirement for teaching in all education authority schools in Scotland. All teachers who have not trained in Scotland and who wish to teach here must seek exceptional admission to the GTCS register. As long as a teacher with a qualification through the OU in England fulfils the council’s requirements with regards to academic qualifications, professional training and relevant experience there should be no difficulty in gaining entry to the register of persons entitled to teach in Scotland.

Teachers

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a shortage of primary teachers and, if so, what measures it is taking to address this.

Mr Jack McConnell: The Supply of Teachers report, 1st Edition - January 2001, details the background to the current position on the collection of information relevant to teacher supply and outlines planned improvements to current methods. Copies of the report are in the Parliament’s reference centre (SPICe – Bib. no. 10751) and it is on the Executive’s website. As reported in this edition, we are presently unable to provide detailed answers to questions about teacher supply and shortages in specific areas. The position is outlined at paragraphs 28-36 of the report. In light of this, initiatives are being developed to identify the current number of teachers relevant to demand.

  As proposed in this first edition of the report, the department is currently piloting an exercise with a sample of education authorities to gather data on teacher vacancies and shortages aimed at establishing a reliable baseline figure from which to improve the planning of teacher supply across Scotland.

  Updates of The Supply of Teachers report will be placed in the Parliament’s reference centre and on the website as the position develops and new systems of gathering information are put in place. The regular publication of the report will ensure all relevant current information is available to members of the Scottish Parliament and also in the public domain.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Breastfeeding

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Presiding Officer what support and facilities are currently provided for Parliament staff returning to work who are still breastfeeding.

Sir David Steel: Staff returning to work are supported through our policy of flexible working hours. As far as is practicable, line managers are encouraged to adapt the pattern of working hours to suit the needs of the nursing mother. Staff also have access to a room in 375 High Street for the purpose of breastfeeding or expressing milk. There are also baby changing facilities in Committee Chambers, PHQ and the Assembly Hall.

Breastfeeding

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Presiding Officer what support and facilities are currently provided for MSPs who are nursing mothers.

Sir David Steel: There is currently no formally adopted policy on breastfeeding by members in meetings of the Parliament or its committees. MSPs who are nursing mothers do have access to a room in 375 High Street for the purpose of feeding or expressing milk. There are also baby changing facilities in Committee Chambers, PHQ and the Assembly Hall.

Breastfeeding

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Presiding Officer what facilities are currently provided within the Parliamentary complex for members of the public and visitors who are breastfeeding.

Sir David Steel: There are no breastfeeding facilities provided in the interim accommodation for members of the public and visitors. They do have access to baby changing facilities in the Committee Chambers, PHQ and the Assembly Hall.

Breastfeeding

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Presiding Officer what facilities there will be in the new Parliament building for MSPs, staff and visitors who are nursing mothers.

Sir David Steel: The plans for our new accommodation in Holyrood provide space for one "Rest Room/Nursing Mother Room" in an area accessible to the public and another in the MSP and staff area. Each room will have an en-suite WC/wash-hand basin compartment and a mobile changing trolley. There will also be a fridge in the MSP and staff room for storing milk.